Efficient Management of Unerupted Teeth: A Time-Tested Treatment Modality

The strategy for managing unerupted teeth has been debated for more than half a century. Duration of treatment, adverse responses, and type of surgical procedure and mechanotherapy to align ectopically positioned teeth has been analyzed, with disparate approaches endorsed. This report will describe the most frequent adverse problems encountered with management of unerupted teeth and suggest a means to prevent them. A recent study will be reviewed that will demonstrate a time-tested evidence-based approach that can prevent these commonly encountered adverse problems as well as reduce treatment time required to position the malposed tooth into the line of occlusion regardless of the patient’s age. (Semin Orthod 2010;16:212-221.) © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.